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Dixon was born on 15 June 1904; his parents were Professor William Macneile Dixon<ref name="Times obit" /> (1891–1946) and Edith (née Wales, ?–1945).<ref name="WMD in WW" /> He was educated at [[w:Winchester College|Winchester College]] and [[w:Christ Church, Oxford|Christ Church, Oxford]].<ref name="Times obit" />
Dixon was born on 15 June 1904; his parents were Professor William Macneile Dixon<ref name="Times obit" /> (1891–1946) and Edith (née Wales, ?–1945).<ref name="WMD in WW" /> He was educated at [[w:Winchester College|Winchester College]] and [[w:Christ Church, Oxford|Christ Church, Oxford]].<ref name="Times obit" />


Dixon worked for a time as a journalist with the ''Glasgow Herald'',<ref name="Glasg Hrld" /> and then in the publicity section of [[w:Gaumont-British]|Gaumont British]] before moving to the advertising agency Mather & Crowther.<ref>{{cite news|last=Meynell|first=Francis|title=Pat Dixon|newspaper=[[w:The Times|]]|date=14 October 1958|author-link=w:Francis Meynell|location=London|page=13}}</ref> He joined the [[w:BBC|BBC]] in October 1940 as a producer and, in the summer of 1948, produced ''[[Listen, My Children]]'', a series which included [[Harry Secombe]] and [[Benny Hill]] in the cast.{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|p=96}}{{sfn|Secombe|1997|p=166}} At the end of 1948 he produced the radio series ''[[Third Division]]'', which was broadcast in early 1949; the shows were written by [[Frank Muir]] and [[Denis Norden]] and the cast included Secombe, [[Michael Bentine]] and [[Peter Sellers]].{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|pp=95-96}} Bentine noted that Dixon was "scholarly and intelligently humorous&nbsp;... and as radical in his approach to comedy as we were",{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|p=105}} while Muir considered him "a terrific chap, and a rebel&nbsp;... he started all sorts of ideas and shows.{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|pp=105-06}}
Dixon worked for a time as a journalist with the ''Glasgow Herald'',<ref name="Glasg Hrld" /> and then in the publicity section of [[w:Gaumont-British]|Gaumont British]] before moving to the advertising agency Mather & Crowther.<ref>{{cite news|last=Meynell|first=Francis|title=Pat Dixon|newspaper=[[w:The Times|]]|date=14 October 1958|author-link=w:Francis Meynell|location=London|page=13}}</ref> He joined the [[BBC]] in October 1940 as a producer and, in the summer of 1948, produced ''[[Listen, My Children]]'', a series which included [[Harry Secombe]] and [[Benny Hill]] in the cast.{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|p=96}}{{sfn|Secombe|1997|p=166}} At the end of 1948 he produced the radio series ''[[Third Division]]'', which was broadcast in early 1949; the shows were written by [[Frank Muir]] and [[Denis Norden]] and the cast included Secombe, [[Michael Bentine]] and [[Peter Sellers]].{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|pp=95-96}} Bentine noted that Dixon was "scholarly and intelligently humorous&nbsp;... and as radical in his approach to comedy as we were",{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|p=105}} while Muir considered him "a terrific chap, and a rebel&nbsp;... he started all sorts of ideas and shows.{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|pp=105-06}}


In 1951 Dixon agreed to a request from [[Spike Milligan]] to record an audition tape which included Milligan, Sellers, Bentine and Secombe; he passed the tape on to the BBC planners and stressed that a series would be an asset to the corporation. They agreed and ''Crazy People'' was produced, which was subsequently re-named ''[[The Goon Show]]'', although Dixon was not the producer.{{sfn|Wilmut|Grafton|1981|p=34}} Dixon had a further impact on the show as he introduced [[Max Geldray]] and [[Ray Ellington]] into the format.{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|p=114}} Towards the end of the sixth series of ''The Goon Show'', the regular producer, [[Peter Eton]], left the show to work on [[w:BBC television|BBC television]]: Dixon became the show's producer for the remaining six episodes.{{sfn|Wilmut|Grafton|1981|p=124}} Dixon was less disciplinarian than Eton in his approach,{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|p=166}} although there was some friction with Milligan and Eton returned to produce the first two shows of series seven, before Dixon completed the rest of the 25 episode series.{{sfn|Wilmut|Grafton|1981|p=126}}{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|p=173}} His last ''Goon Show'' was broadcast on 28 March 1957.{{sfn|Wilmut|Grafton|1981|p=126}} During his tenure as ''Goon Show'' producer, Dixon came under pressure from the BBC to ensure no overtly political references or jokes were in the script; he resented such coercion, and wrote to the Assistant Head of Variety, "I think it is very dangerous to have these subtle encroachments on free speech".{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|pp=174-75}} Spike Milligan considered that Dixon was, "the only producer&nbsp;... who knows what the ''Goon Show'' is all about".{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|p=184}}
In 1951 Dixon agreed to a request from [[Spike Milligan]] to record an audition tape which included Milligan, Sellers, Bentine and Secombe; he passed the tape on to the BBC planners and stressed that a series would be an asset to the corporation. They agreed and ''Crazy People'' was produced, which was subsequently re-named ''[[The Goon Show]]'', although Dixon was not the producer.{{sfn|Wilmut|Grafton|1981|p=34}} Dixon had a further impact on the show as he introduced [[Max Geldray]] and [[Ray Ellington]] into the format.{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|p=114}} Towards the end of the sixth series of ''The Goon Show'', the regular producer, [[Peter Eton]], left the show to work on [[w:BBC television|BBC television]]: Dixon became the show's producer for the remaining six episodes.{{sfn|Wilmut|Grafton|1981|p=124}} Dixon was less disciplinarian than Eton in his approach,{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|p=166}} although there was some friction with Milligan and Eton returned to produce the first two shows of series seven, before Dixon completed the rest of the 25 episode series.{{sfn|Wilmut|Grafton|1981|p=126}}{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|p=173}} His last ''Goon Show'' was broadcast on 28 March 1957.{{sfn|Wilmut|Grafton|1981|p=126}} During his tenure as ''Goon Show'' producer, Dixon came under pressure from the BBC to ensure no overtly political references or jokes were in the script; he resented such coercion, and wrote to the Assistant Head of Variety, "I think it is very dangerous to have these subtle encroachments on free speech".{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|pp=174-75}} Spike Milligan considered that Dixon was, "the only producer&nbsp;... who knows what the ''Goon Show'' is all about".{{sfn|Carpenter|2004|p=184}}

Revision as of 18:46, 21 January 2023

Pat Dixon
Pat Dixon (BBC Producer).jpg
Born
Patrick Kenneth Macneile Dixon

(1904-06-15)15 June 1904
Died8 October 1958(1958-10-08) (aged 54)
Occupation(s)Radio producer, journalist
Years active1940–1957
Known forThe Goon Show


Patrick Kenneth Macneile Dixon (15 June 1904 – 8 October 1958) was an English radio producer for BBC Radio.

Biography

Dixon was born on 15 June 1904; his parents were Professor William Macneile Dixon[1] (1891–1946) and Edith (née Wales, ?–1945).[2] He was educated at Winchester College and Christ Church, Oxford.[1]

Dixon worked for a time as a journalist with the Glasgow Herald,[3] and then in the publicity section of [[w:Gaumont-British]|Gaumont British]] before moving to the advertising agency Mather & Crowther.[4] He joined the BBC in October 1940 as a producer and, in the summer of 1948, produced Listen, My Children, a series which included Harry Secombe and Benny Hill in the cast.[5][6] At the end of 1948 he produced the radio series Third Division, which was broadcast in early 1949; the shows were written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden and the cast included Secombe, Michael Bentine and Peter Sellers.[7] Bentine noted that Dixon was "scholarly and intelligently humorous ... and as radical in his approach to comedy as we were",[8] while Muir considered him "a terrific chap, and a rebel ... he started all sorts of ideas and shows.[9]

In 1951 Dixon agreed to a request from Spike Milligan to record an audition tape which included Milligan, Sellers, Bentine and Secombe; he passed the tape on to the BBC planners and stressed that a series would be an asset to the corporation. They agreed and Crazy People was produced, which was subsequently re-named The Goon Show, although Dixon was not the producer.[10] Dixon had a further impact on the show as he introduced Max Geldray and Ray Ellington into the format.[11] Towards the end of the sixth series of The Goon Show, the regular producer, Peter Eton, left the show to work on BBC television: Dixon became the show's producer for the remaining six episodes.[12] Dixon was less disciplinarian than Eton in his approach,[13] although there was some friction with Milligan and Eton returned to produce the first two shows of series seven, before Dixon completed the rest of the 25 episode series.[14][15] His last Goon Show was broadcast on 28 March 1957.[14] During his tenure as Goon Show producer, Dixon came under pressure from the BBC to ensure no overtly political references or jokes were in the script; he resented such coercion, and wrote to the Assistant Head of Variety, "I think it is very dangerous to have these subtle encroachments on free speech".[16] Spike Milligan considered that Dixon was, "the only producer ... who knows what the Goon Show is all about".[17]

Dixon worked with Tony Hancock, when he produced the first episode of the fifth series of Hancock's Half Hour, The New Radio Series.[18] He also produced the series Ignorance is Bliss and These Foolish Things.[1] Dixon also worked again with Michael Bentine on the first series of Round the Bend in Thirty Minutes.

He died of cancer on 8 October 1958, aged 54.[19][1]

Selected credits

Notes and references

Notes

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Obituary: Mr. Pat Dixon". [[w:The Times|]]. London. 10 October 1958. p. 89.
  2. ^ "Dixon, William Macneile". Who's Who. Oxford: [[w:Oxford University Press|]]. Retrieved 16 August 2012. (subscription required)
  3. ^ "BBC Variety Producer". The Herald. Glasgow. 9 October 1958. p. 9.
  4. ^ Meynell, Francis (14 October 1958). "Pat Dixon". [[w:The Times|]]. London. p. 13.
  5. ^ Carpenter 2004, p. 96.
  6. ^ Secombe 1997, p. 166.
  7. ^ Carpenter 2004, pp. 95–96.
  8. ^ Carpenter 2004, p. 105.
  9. ^ Carpenter 2004, pp. 105–06.
  10. ^ Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 34.
  11. ^ Carpenter 2004, p. 114.
  12. ^ Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 124.
  13. ^ Carpenter 2004, p. 166.
  14. ^ a b Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 126.
  15. ^ Carpenter 2004, p. 173.
  16. ^ Carpenter 2004, pp. 174–75.
  17. ^ Carpenter 2004, p. 184.
  18. ^ Webber 2011, p. 137.
  19. ^ Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 63.

Bibliography

External links

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